A fresh twist on potato salad

It’s a weird old season – one day the furnace kicks in, the next day you need the air-conditioning. It’s hard to know what to wear and it’s hard to know what to prepare for dinner (since when I’m thinking about it in the morning, the temperature might vary wildly by the time dinner rolls around). As we move into the warmer weather, I’m not quite ready to let go of comfort foods but I’m always happy to change things up by trying a lighter version of a favourite comfort food dish. That’s why I was happy to give a new potato salad recipe a whirl this past week using a new-to-me potato variety too!

Have you heard of the Carisma potato? No, neither had I until recently. It’s a new, non-GMO potato varietal farmed from traditional seed originally developed in the Netherlands. The Carisma has a slow Glycemic Response (this is the way we measure how the body’s blood sugar levels react to different foods), which releases glucose slowly and steadily, resulting in a longer lasting rise in blood glucose for more sustained energy. Carisma is a good choice for people wishing to control blood sugar levels, including people with (or at risk of) diabetes, athletes, and those looking to lose or control body weight.

Potatoes have suffered a bad rap in recent years as people have sworn off “white carbs” yet potatoes are actually incredibly nutritious, when part of a balanced diet. In any case, did you know that different varieties of potatoes have different Glycemic Responses? And that the way you cook potatoes can affect this too? Not to mention the food you serve with the potatoes? For people following a low Glycemic Index diet, potatoes have been on the “limited foods” list but now with the Carisma, those people can enjoy potatoes again as part of their regular eating plan.

Following a successful launch in late 2016, EarthFresh is bringing the Carisma potato back to Ontario grocery stores for an extended season. They’re now available until November 2017, after having sold out in just six weeks last fall. To meet the high demand this year, EarthFresh has moved its growing operations (formerly just in Canada) to the Southern U.S., where optimal weather conditions allow for an extended growing season and, in return, more produce on shelves for a longer period. Look out for this flavourful, versatile potato with a creamy texture available to Ontario shoppers through November 2017 at Metro, Sobeys, Longo’s, Fortinos, Whole Foods Market, and Farm Boy for approx. $6.99/5 lb. bag.

I tried the Carisma potatoes in a lightened-up version of potato salad. Now don’t get me wrong, I love me a good potato salad but sometimes you just don’t want to be weighed down with a heavy, creamy sauce, especially on the cusp of spring/ summer. This was a nice change from a traditional potato salad (and was actually even better the next day). I adapted the recipe slightly from the original, which called for olive paste – I only had sliced olives which were slightly less “briny” than a paste so we compensated by adding extra salt and pepper when we served this.

Disclosure: I received compensation and product in exchange for this post. As always, all opinions my own. I only work with companies and brands that I use myself. Thank you for supporting the brands that support eat. live. travel. write.

The weather has been that way here in the South, too! Though today is supposed to surpass 90 degrees — eesh!

I really do love the sound of this potato salad. I never get around to making potato salads since my husband doesn’t like potatoes (yep, you read that right). I need to figure out how to make a small one for just me, haha 🙂